Hump Day

I was going to start this by saying how crazy this week has been until I realized: I've been saying that for the last two months. Oy! I guess this is just the reality of the season of life we are in. Someone needs an attitude adjustment, someone else needs a special trip to the doctor for an injury, someone's top two big teeth are coming in hard, Papa has lots of work to do at the office, three people come down with sore throats, and the plumber says we need to replace the 26 year old+ toilets upstairs. This just sorta covers the last week.  

But there's some really good and exciting stuff too. I launched an official fb page for J. Swenson Photography. Last weekend was surely my busiest yet. And meeting new families is always a treat. 

 W is taking on a big week of work this week so he can take off the entire next week. It gets tricky when you try to take off at month's end in his job. I'm thankful for his boss swapping some things around to make it work for us.

And I got one step closer to another bucket-list item over the weekend!!! Since Theo's birth, I've added "attending a birth where I didn't have to do all the hard work!!" on to my list. I have this thing for birth. I'm strange but I think it's beautiful. And now with photography taking off, I would really love to capture it for others. It's just such a natural next step. So, of course, I talked my way into capturing a sweet girlfriend's freshly minted babe at the hospital over the weekend. She kindly obliged. ;) It was so wonderful just visiting, and capturing their story as it unfolded that afternoon. Baby girl, less than 24 hours old, and her new parents. Learning about each other and how to care for her. Being nervous and excited and exhausted and delighted. It's honestly so crazy that I'm now on the other side of it. That I would be the one handing out encouragement and advice. How quickly did that change?! 

It was also a sweet reminder to be present. Every day I have a choice. And while photography is a great thing and such a life-giving practice for me; while hobbies, interests, personal buck-list dreams are good, my family and children need me more. I need to make the best use of the day with them. And even though today is yet another day of "I'm gonna need a whole lot of coffee and a whole lotta Jesus" to make it, I want to continue stepping through this holy work of digging in deep with my family. 

So, these last few days of crazy attitudes, teething horrors, exhausted/short tempered Mama, and sick/overworked Papa, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel!!! We are ALL really looking forward to some good, quality family time next week!!! And afternoon play dates and running through the rain have also helped immensely this week. ;)

LOTS

Lots on our plate these days with not a whole lot of space for updates. Yikes. But a good yikes, nevertheless. Photography and Nailed It have been keeping me busy on top of three beautiful babes and one handsome hubby. I don't think I've shared here, but I've opened an online shop on etsy with my surplus products from selling at the holiday boutique. I've had a small handful of custom orders since then which is a start! :)

Other than that, we've been spending our afternoons at parks with various dear friends. Especially the BMX park which is the boys' new favorite. And gearing up to visit our sweet family for Thanksgiving. Can.NOT.wait. A full week off is something we're all looking forward to. 

Here's a few favorites from two recent sessions. I feel like I've been learning so much!

Getting Ready For Fall

I'm finding that I can only pick one personal activity per day these days and blogging just hasn't been one of them. Our house has been chalk-full of busy in addition to the normal chaos, so I guess that one last post I've drafted about our nephew visit will stay on the back-burner for now.

My girlfriend and I met last week to go over our pre-k plan for homeschooling. Our books are slowly starting to arrive so it's feel much more real. We're really gonna do it this year!!! We're all very excited for this new adventure.

I'm prayerfully considering a new venture, but fearful of its success. Time has gotten ever so precious and I don't want to waste it. Either way, it's been a joy to create again. 

I've also signed up for a photography class--I'm ever so ready to take on manual mode and do more in the way of post editing...neither of which I've really done, I'm sad to say.

And I've been recruited by our church's MOPS for craft coordinator. I was kinda opposed only because I've got three and definitely feel tapped out often, but so far it's been a great life-giving outlet. And without taking away from our family time. There's two of us, who have the same style and work well together. And we've already planned out the year and prepped ahead of time. Hoping this opportunity to serve brings about good fruit. Plus, the women on leadership are amazing so it's a blessing just to be around them!

So I might be a little crazy by taking all this on, no?! Let's see how I make it by the end of this fall season. Ha! 

We're still getting in lots of fun outside. Both boys are pretty much in hardcore super-hero stage...Theo much because Ezra is. Little brother follows big. They came home from a gparent day stuffed to the brim with superhero contraband; everything from a new costume, rain boots and a handful of tees. Grandma takes her spoiling work seriously. ;) And Juju is working hard on her two bottom teeth.

Over the weekend, our church held service at our local fair grounds during a huge car show. It was really fun to outreach and check out some amazing cars. ;) E and I also hit up a friend's birthday party while everyone else napped. A little Mama/son date.

So bring on the pants, boots, cooler temps, and lots of busy!!

Happenings {Via IG}

Our 4th of July was pretty mellow. We started the day with a family bike ride: the very first time Ezra joined us for the riding. We biked to the Corner Bakery for breakfast. Then headed out in the evening for dinner at our friends'. 

We put the boys to bed before fireworks because we had had so many previously late evenings {including a First Weds. downtown the night before}. We were so tired! Ezra and I finished our read aloud by E.B White titled The Trumpet of the Swan. Loved that charming story! My mom frequently sends us boxed collections like the Magic Tree House, Boxcar Children, and a small sampling from E.B. White. We have worked through them all and this one was my favorite. Which also explains why Ezra was so excited to try a high schooler's trumpet at the band booth on Weds...

Speaking of the gparents, they went on a two and a half week motorcycle trip and made sure to send the boys postcards. I was so happy to have my support team back-- I celebrated by crashing on Friday afternoon for a nap and dinner. ;) We also started Family Dinners back up and last week's did not disappoint. It was amazing and we were so happy for the leftovers. 

In addition to my cousin's wedding, this past weekend looked like a lot of laundry, our annual Free Shakespeare in the park, and a trip to Urgent Care for Vesper's fever. She checked out fine and was fever-free by the following day. I'm not complaining, but it was so odd. If nothing else, it let us know that she gained a whole bunch since the contraception fiasco was fixed and plumping up again. Phew!

It was so fun having two date nights in a row since it's been awhile. That and our weekend travels have been making this Mama happy. I must say, this summer is shaping up quite nicely. ;)

The Art of Life

"God lives in my home, but sometimes I ignore Him and don't hear the music He is playing just for me. This journey of mothering is a challenging marathon of moments, hours, days, months, years, and decades. And yet, in each moment, God has sprinkled across our paths beauty, love, and joy. We have only to cultivate eyes in our hearts to observe this Artist's work of life...all of these moments and passages have the mystery and grace of God in them, just waiting to be unpackaged as evidence of His love. "   --Sally Clarkson, Desperate

A little boy who insists on two sweaters on the morning of expected 100+ degree weather. With his new dollar bin shades.

His love for posing for the camera.

The insatiable love of water and getting wet.

A squishy toddler face full of giggles after getting wet.

His enormous ball of energy.

A squeaky clean babe ready for bed.

These have been my moments of late. His work of life within our home. Because don't we all need those reminders?! When sleep deprivation makes a Mount Everest out of mole hills. And mountains of laundry and dishes too, but we won't get into that. This week has been peppered with stress...

...Finally corrected an OB mistake of giving me the wrong contraception and then billing me $430 for it. Glad that went smoothly...

...T coming to me with an open bottle of nail polish remover, a disgusted look on his face, and a strong smell coming from his mouth. Thank you for calming my nerves, Poison Control...

...Vesper's check-up resulting in the obvious: she's a peanut. A tiny one. Only this is a new pedi and doing an excellent job of stressing a seasoned Mama out...

...Flat tire on W's bike. That mode of transportation to work...

...the constant whiny and sour attitude of another child we may know...

And He's shown His grace despite all that.  A surprise night out for ice cream with a sweet girlfriend. Gparent day so I could slip in a long overdue pedicure. A patient husband who lets me sleep in, listens to me at the end of a long day, and picks up chick flicks at the library without being asked. Group naps each day so I have a quiet time. Glimpses at a little boy's heart that's still moldable, loveable and teachable. This current season is certainly intense, yet not defeating.

I shared this encouraging post on fb the other day because it spoke volumes to me in regards to my ideals for parenting and what I pray and struggle to do each and every day to my wee ones: be God's grace while teaching and training them. 

You will mess up, and you'll do it a lot, but that's okay. I mess up a lot, too. We're in this together; it's why we need Jesus.

We need Jesus.

You and me both, kid. Because we will never get "it" right in this life. There will be loose ends and trouble and sin swirling all around us, but if we hold onto Jesus, we'll make it.

And grace.

A million times you will mess up, and a million times I will forgive you. And please forgive me, too, for my million mess-ups.

Happy Weekend, dear friends! May you see His artwork displayed within your own life! :)

Full Steam Ahead

It's true that time speeds up the more you have.

We are somewhat into a routine already with three. I'm utterly surprised. Although I'd be equally not surprised if that routine changed yet again. Simply the reality of having little ones. 

But for now I'm enjoying this routine and the fact that the boys are sleeping at the same time again which means I can get some down time during the day too. I'm also enjoying the fact that {so far} I'm doing okay. I'm not drowning like I feared. I'm definitely afloat and surviving--while in survival mode. Because I'm still haggardly. Most mornings I have blood-shot eyes. My hair is up and messy. My clothes are usually gym clothes. And coffee is constant all day long.

Last weekend we dedicated all three of our babies. Something we'd been wanting to do for a long time. We picked Psalm 127 for them... A reminder that without the Lord our efforts are futile as well as an encouragement that they are without a doubt THE best blessings we will ever receive. An inheritance from the Lord. 

We've also had some much needed "normal" weekends of sticking around the house. Clearing out the backyard in preparation for summer, weeding through closets, and short walks to the farmer's market and nearby parks. 

For the first time since giving birth, I've seen the bottom of the laundry pile and a sink cleared of dishes for longer than half a day. Small successes that remind me this season is fleeting and so are these small annoyances. 

Recently, I made an inward and outward proclamation that we'll be officially starting pre-school with Ezra next year. No real formal cirrculum or anything. Actually it'll probably look a lot like what we do now, but I think I need that "official business." I want to take school pictures, talk school up with Ezra and just enjoy this fun stage of learning.  It will help to send mini-goals on what we want to learn and work on. Hoping to just focus on phonics, numbers and fun "unit studies" as extensions to our read alouds. And maybe start a co-op/group where we can gather together and do a few activities together based on a book I've heard great things about. Or at least offer and get support for this great adventure.

And Vesper is smiling now!! The first of many heart-warming milestones. It's hard to believe she'll already be 7 weeks tomorrow. Time is flying.

Lately...

Golly, I have not updated on our family's climate in awhile. This year has clearly thrown us a bunch of lemons and we're doing our darn-est to make lemonade or lemon drops...depending on our mood and if the kids are asleep for the night. There may be some stress-crafting and emotional-cookie-dough-eating thrown in the mix too.

This last week was a bonafide doozy when our eight pound dog freaked our mail carrier out and caused a big scene, resulting in the refusal to deliver our mail. Followed up with a bust in our water main pipe which meant no running water until that could be fixed. And our microwave decided to leave us and go where all other dead microwaves go...the dump?! Perhaps each of these individual cases would be laughable if they didn't occur within days of each other. Yeesh.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, at least. W temporarily fixed the pipe; enough for us to have running water until he can spend more time huddled over a small hole in the front of our house, shoving pvc pipe into the small space. The mail will be delivered again, although we're looking for a new home for our lil' P. In his old age, he's become more aggressive/protective in nature. Having three little ones could just cause him more stress than is fair to him. 

And W's current job {which started around the 1st of Aug} is already requesting to sign him on after his term is over!! HOO-freakin'-RAY!! Answer to what seemed like a long-term and repetitive prayer request. He loves working for them. They love him working for them. It's in his field. With room to climb. In our town. He bikes the four miles to work. Somewhat flexible hours so he can go in early and get off a bit early. Or if we have breakfast as a family, leave a little later. Now, we're just waiting on the details: salary, benefits, etc. But it's got to be waaay better than what we're sitting on now, right?!

I AM enjoying the latest creations I've made, summer play dates, our sweet community group, and the wonderful but hard lessons Christ is showing me along the way. He's not forgotten to bring moments of sweetness and encouragement along the pot-holed filled path. And although our big family vacation this year was our church's camping trip and its typical that W and I go over a month between date nights, we've survived somehow on toddler silliness, family bike rides, picnic dinners, and the occasional take-out & a movie date at home.

Looking forward to this fall for many reasons!!

Our weekend {and then some}

Our downtown started up the street fairs again on the first Weds of each month. With W getting home at a decent time now, we were able to check it out before bedtimes. We shared some yummy BBQ food and checked out the vendors. E got a new fire hat and loved walking down the middle of the street. He thought that was so cool.

 

W and E made us some pizza for dinner one night last week. We were basically using up whatever was left in the fridge because Mama didn't go grocery shopping last week.

I also attempt some onion rings again and made it out without burning the kitchen. After a rough week of teething, tried patience, and clingy-ness, W indulge me with a chick flick {Breaking Dawn}. He enjoyed it...or so he told me. ;)

Saturday morning was a super lazy one. W let me sleep in which was so needed and so lovely. We finally mustered up the energy to hit the market. E's latest venture while getting ready: his mask.

It was a gorgeous day. We walked, grabbed some fruit and veggies, and lunched with a friend. I also got in a great nap. Then it was off to our small group dinner and worship at the Flying T Ranch. Such a breath-taking property!

One of our families owns the property and runs a horse ministry for troubled and abused youth. They are typically a court-ordered option for the youth. The horses serve as a great opportunity to talk about life and Jesus while developing relationships. We had a blast exploring the property, eating, and worshiping together. E was in complete heaven!

 And Sunday brought another wedding craft day. We knocked out the centerpieces and delegated out the rest of the little decor details. I'm pretty excited to see how this rustic outdoor picnic wedding will turn out. Hopefully well!

And that's a wrap!

What's Up With Us

{I always have a hodge-podge mix of current things going on and don't really know where to write about them. They're usually too short to dedicate a whole post too, but not insignificant details that I just want to ignore them. So, in order to document...here they all are in one random post. :)}

We've been listening to Irish Rock on Pandora all month. After seeing a commercial on Hulu with a Flogging Molly song, W and I both discovered that we both love it. Makes me think of my trip to Northern Ireland and the movie P.S. I Love You. Plus, who doesn't love a hardy accent?

 The "ABCs" has now been added to Ezra's favorite songs that he belts out at random times during the day. He's got W's love of song with my tone-deaf ears...poor kid.

W and E have lots of games they've created and play frequently... "Wake Up" all started when W was trying to get more shut eye and E waking him up with a kisses. It's now become a game instead... W sleeps, E gives a wake-up kiss. They also have a ball game: E at the middle landing of the stairs, W at the bottom. W throws them up to the landing and E throwing them back down {not really a latest thing}. Most recently, E is beyond thrilled that they can both bike together. They do laps around our complex in the evenings while I make dinner.

Speaking of bikes..during their Friday afternoon bike ride, W took off Ezra's training wheels just to see what would happen. He did well, but isn't tall enough to comfortably put his foot on the ground to stable himself. But he's still excited about it and wants to try again. You can just see the pure excitement on his face!

{please don't judge...he's been dressing himself so I don't have much say when it comes to his outfits now. So, that would be his 4T "What happens in Gpa's garage, stays in Gpa's garage" t-shirt that you may have mistaken for a gray sack on top.}

I picked up a chapter book of sorts at the library: Thomas The Tank Engine Story Collection. That's where most of Ezra's kids' pop-culture comes from--books {and a few movies}. Anyway, it contains all the stories written about the trains and E is loving it. Lots of words and a few pictures. I'm impressed that he wants me to read them. 

E is now in diapers only a night and mostly wakes up to a dry diaper! Definitely not at all painful. Thank you, EC, for a easy job! At least, that's where I'm gonna give credit...it had to have played a big role. :)

Theo is almost 7 months and isn't close to crawling. I now am mind-blown that Ezra was already crawling and into solids at this point. At the time, I didn't know any different. Now, I know. I'm thankful for my slow-growing baby!

I started a fire in our  kitchen over the weekend. I was making onion rings and didn't read the instructions all that well. We all know that W is the seasoned one in the kitchen. {ha, so puny}, but I thought I had this. Anyway, I got the oil hot, poured the batter in and then a 1/3rd cup water. So absurd, right?! The batter and water should have been in a bowl for dipping before the oil. Yeesh! Well, W was right on about people only do that once: the water with oil and heat thing. Thankfully, the aftermath was only topical. W helped me clean up after the boys went down and then made the rings. He had me do the last few to get over my fear. :)

Our weekend was a delightfully lazy one. Bacon, eggs and homemade bread breakfast. Walk to the market for strawberries. Once the rain set in, we really didn't feel like going anywhere else. We had a fire. Watched a movie. Read some books. Cleaned house. I started to tackle the mocking pile of laundry, W fixed our dishwasher. We had a crock-pot chili and Yorkshire pudding dinner by candle light.

I've been loving our family dinners lately. It's so fun to have three fully participating members now {with the fourth still present, don't ya worry}. Ezra re-lives parts of his day and it leaves W and I in laughter. It's so amazing to me that he's speaking in paragraphs now. Limited still and sometimes needing interpretation of others' present at the scene but so so so endearing. The other day he was telling me about his bike crash with Papa and he pretty much had my whole heart melting. His eyes sure say a lot. I can tell just by looking at them that he's got so much to say, but there's still that lag to getting the words out. Sometimes, he stops himself mid-sentence as if there's so much up there to sift through before saying it.

We're finally building a family budget. We're meeting with my parents and drawing one up. I know what y'all are thinking...we've been married for four years and just doing this now?!  And one half is an accountant? And the other with two accounting parents?! So sad. Better late than never though, right?? We're using a program/app that Wes & Carolyn told us about long ago and we really like it so far. Super easy and free to use and always accessible. I already can't believe how much we spend on groceries of all categories! And we aren't organic peeps! Is there any consolation prize since we don't go out all that much? {doubt it.} Makes me long for a garden all that much more!

And I'll leave it with a picture of my newest old love. In its newest spot. I  may or may not have already used this a few times this week. :) I still cannot believe I've gone this long without really knowing how and when to use one. I feel like everyone else has been holding out on me, either that I'm the lamest person for just discovering it now. Can we also file this fact under "better late than ever?" too? I swear I knew more than just how to boil water when I got married...{maybe not too much over that...}. Heh. I'm trying to figure out how to girl-ify it since it really can be called mine now. ;)